The Girl Who Lived
by my father will hear about this
Summary: AU. The killing curse leaves an odd after effect on Harry James Potter. Too bad no one ever told her about it. Slytherin!Harry, Fem!Harry. HPDM DMHP Drarry. Includes some slash and femslash.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** The Girl Who Lived

**Summary:** The killing curse leaves an odd after effect on Harry James Potter. Too bad no one ever told her about it. Fem!Harry/Draco, HPDM, DMHP.

**Pairings:** Ron/Hermione, fem!Harry/a **lot** of people, eventual Draco/fem!Harry, Neville/Ginny.

**Rating:** T. For now.

**Author's Note:** So this is my umpteenth's attempt at writing fic. This is unbeta'd and it was written at 4AM in the morning so the chances of numerous grammatical errors are quite possible. If you spot anything—and I mean anything!—let me know ASAP and I'll change it. Just so you know, Harry's gender change will be explained soon enough. Thanks for checking this out, I hope you enjoy! Reviews would be highly appreciated.

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><p><strong>31<strong>**st**** October, 1980**

_To Harry Potter, the boy who lived._

Witches and wizards throughout the world raised their glasses in a silent toast to one Harry James Potter: the boy who lived, the chosen one, the vanquisher of the Dark Lord. It was nighttime and the realization had sunk in. The celebration had almost vanished as people understood the situation. This boy, this young, innocent, uncorrupted boy would live with this burden, this pressure for the rest of his life.

"To Harry James Potter," A drunken wizard called out loudly. "May he live a long life."

A murmur of agreement rippled around the pub as everyone downed his or her drinks solemnly. After decades of terror the Dark Lord was gone—and they owed all of this to _a little boy_.

**23****rd**** June, 1991**

It had been exactly three thousand, nine hundred and eighteen days since that fateful Halloween night and Privet Drive had not changed a single bit; especially not the fourth house along the road. Number Four Privet Drive was practically unchanged, the only variable being the ages of the residents.

"Up! Get up! Now!"

The sharp, incessant tapping woke Harry up with a start. "I'm up." Harry grumbled in an annoyed tone.

"Hurry up now." Petunia's voice was cold and shrill. "The bacon's already cooking. Don't you dare let it burn."

Harry groaned loudly and rubbed the dirt off her shoulders.

"What was that?" Petunia asked sharply.

"Oh nothing." Harry replied casually. "I'll be there in a minute."

She heard the kitchen door slam shut and knew that Aunt Petunia was no longer hovering near her room. Carefully, she changed into more acceptable clothing—as acceptable as Dudley's shrunk clothing could be that is—doing her best not to hit her head against the low ceiling.

The scent of cooking bacon hit her nostrils as she stepped into the kitchen. Making a beeline for the stove, Harry poked the cooking food to see how far it was done. She could hear Dudley whining about his presents and tuned his voice out to the best of her ability.

'_How could I have forgotten?'_ She chided herself mentally. Dudley's birthday meant that she got to be shipped off to Mrs. Figg's cat-infested house for the day while Dudley and his friend, Piers, could enjoy their day somewhere exciting. Though she didn't exactly mind. Mrs. Figg was a dear and more often than not, she'd let Harry wander around just as long as she didn't go too far. Most of the time, Harry would go to the public library which conveniently happened to be a ten minute walk from her house. She'd spend the entire day there until she knew she had to come back. For some reason, she always _knew_ when the Dursleys would be returning. It was just one of those unexplainable phenomena that happened to her every so often.

Humming a catchy song she had overheard on the radio once, she transferred the bacon from the frying pan to the plates set neatly nearby. Balancing all four plates on her arm with impressive skill, she set them on the table.

She pulled up a chair and poked her bacon while immersed in deep thought. Would Mrs. Figg's let her go to the library today? Harry pondered over this for a moment for there was something she really needed to look up. Her thought was interrupted by Dudley's sniffles. With a disgusted look on her face, she looked up, wondering about the cause of this possibly unnecessary commotion.

"But I don't want her to come!" Dudley was screaming hysterically. "She always ruins everything!"

Harry perked up at this. Going to the zoo—even though it was with the Dursleys—was definitely something she wanted to do. There was something that she had been itching to test and it involved snakes. What better place to test something involving snakes than a zoo?

"Vernon," Petunia said reluctantly. "I don't think we have any other choice. We clearly can't leave her _here_."

Harry was ecstatic. She had never felt such joy in her life! She was going to go to the zoo! Oh she couldn't believe this! Her heart leapt with excitement when Vernon muttered in agreement.

"Aunt Petunia," She said, her voice rasping with contained excitement. "May I be excused?"

Petunia's dismissive nod sent Harry leaping. She ran out the door and locked herself into the cupboard. Pulling back the make-shift mattress on the floor, she eased open three of the floorboards. Inside the hollow area lay a book titled "The Supernatural Guide to the Mundane: Snakes." She flipped through the pages impatiently until her eyes landed on chapter twelve: _Talking to Snakes_. Her mind flashed back to how she had acquired this precious book, the only thing in this house that she could call truly her own.

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><p><em>Mrs. Walters was possibly the busiest woman in Surrey today as she scurried around her office. A large stack of books lay on the counter, ready to be disposed of. Hardly anyone borrowed those books. In fact, they had been untouched for the past decade. She tripped over a wire and clutched her chair to keep herself from falling over. This was when she noticed the young girl, no older than seven holding and reading a book that was twice the size of her head.<em>

"_Can I help you, sweetheart? Do you need to find someone?"_

_The child looked up at her and Mrs. Walters found herself astonished at the mature look in her bottle-green eyes._

"_No thank you." She said cordially. "But I was wondering if I could borrow this? I don't have a library card though…"_

"_Oh but if you have your mummy with you right now you could—"_

"_My mother's dead." She said in such a matter-of-fact voice that Mrs. Walters found herself reeling in shock. "So's my dad actually. And my guardians are…" She pursed her lips thoughtfully. "At work." She finished in an uncertain tone. "I really do want to read this book and I promise I'll bring it back. Maybe if you write my name down or something…" She trailed off, a hopeless look forming in her eye._

_Mrs. Walters' heart fell in sympathy. Here was this child, no older than seven and she had lost so much. All she wanted was a book and she couldn't have it._

"_I'm so sorry sweetie but—oh hang on." The librarian narrowed her eyes and read the title. The Supernatural Guide to—oh! "Oh it's that book!" Mrs. Walters smiled kindly. "You know dear, you can _keep_ that book if you want."_

_The sparkle in the emerald-eyed child made her smile._

"_Really?"_

"_Really."_

"_And I won't get in trouble or anything? At all?"_

"_No, dearie. It's all yours!"_

"_Oh thank you! Thank you so much!"_

_Mrs. Walters smiled and watched the child skip away towards the closest reading chair._

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><p>Harry had discovered her odd ability on her seventh birthday. She was allowed to wander outside on her birthdays and Harry took the opportunity to explore every inch of the neighborhood. On her seventh birthday, Harry had accidentally fallen into a pit. A pit with a vicious looking black snake. She was frozen in shock.<p>

"_Prey."_

She heard a voice hiss. Her eyes snapped open and she stared at the snake in front of her.

"_Foooood."_ It hissed, moving forward.

"Stop!" She had managed to gasp out. The snake seemingly paused.

"_You speak the noble tongue of Salazar?"_

Harry was speechless. She was talking to a bloody _snake_.

"Snakes can't talk…" She whispered.

"_And yet you are talking to me. You do not know your ability yet, it seems."_

"This isn't normal." Was Harry's intelligent response.

"_That's because _you_ are not normal."_

Harry didn't reply. There was a prolonged silence before she managed to squeeze out a question. "Are you going to eat me?"

The snake_ laughed_. It _laughed_!

"_No,"_ It said. _"I will not harm one who speaks the noble tongue—it would be a crime to waste such potential."_

"You're letting me go?"

"_Yes."_

Harry had never run faster in her life.

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><p><em>Chapter Twelve: Talking to Snakes.<em> Her eyes scanned the page greedily. She felt giddy with excitement. After three years of wondering, she could finally have a risk-free encounter with a snake. She was neither confident nor stupid enough to pull off a reenactment of her seventh birthday.

The doorbell rung thrice.

"HARRY!" Petunia called from the kitchen.

Placing the book back in her hiding spot, Harry left her sanctuary. She opened the door to reveal none other than Piers Polkiss.

"Potter." He greeted coldly.

"Polkiss." She replied in the same tone, stepping aside to let the boy in. "They're in the kitchen."

Piers nodded and left without another word.

Three hours later, Harry found herself at the zoo with her so-called-family. She was licking a lemon ice lolly and walking with a small skip in her steps. The first place Dudley had wanted to visit was the snake display. A smug smile found Harry's face as they entered the room.

_Holy cow._

That was the first coherent thought in Harry's mind. She knew there were a lot of snakes in this zoo—she'd read all about it—but this was just ridiculous. Dudley wanted to look at all of them (in order, to Vernon's horror). Harry could not complain. She made a beeline for the last snake in the display. She leaned against the glass and took a deep breath. The snake was asleep.

"Hello." She tried. The snake didn't respond. She thought back to the book sitting under her bed. _Most people don't realize they're speaking a different language when talking to snakes. In fact, one might believe he or she is still talking in their native tongue._

"_Hello."_ She tried once more but this time, there was a hissing quality to her voice. Her heart leapt in excitement as the snake stirred. _"I'm sorry to wake you up but I really need some help."_

The snake was fully alert now.

"_You speak the noble tongue of Salazar?"_ It hissed, sounding surprised.

"_Who is Salazar? I've heard of this bloke before."_

"_Salazar is my master. He is my master and his master and her master. Salazar is the master of all the snakes. He is a founder and the leader of all Slytherins and ancestor to He Who Must Not Be Named."_

Harry stared at the snake blankly. Sorting through the questions in her mind, she decided it would be wise to ask them one by one. _"What is Slytherin?"_ She began slowly.

If a snake's eyes could widen, it would have done so right now. _"You speak the noble tongue but have never heard of Slytherin? That is bizarre. If that is the situation, I regret to inform you that it is not my place to tell you this. If you truly speak the tongue, you will find out in due time."_

Harry grumbled. _"Who's He Who Must Not Be Named?"_

The snake shifted a little bit and it seemed to glance at the girl's forehead. _"That too is something you must find out for yourself."_

"_You're not much help, are you?"_ Harry asked, exasperated.

The snake ignored her comments. _"That boy,"_ it motioned towards Dudley. _"You know him?"_

"_Yes. He's my cousin. A right git he is too."_

The snake chuckled. _"He is a child."_

"_Well, yes."_ Said Harry. _"He's eleven. And I'm ten."_

"_But you are not a child."_

"_But… I'm ten!"_ Harry protested, confused.

"_Age is merely a number. It does not reflect one's personality or maturity. It's well possible for a ten year old to be emotionally leveled with a twenty one year old."_

"_And you think I'm like a twenty one year old?"_ Harry asked with an egotistic smirk.

"_No, I would say twenty two."_ The snake replied in good humor.

Harry chuckled pleasantly only to pause uncertainly.

"_What is wrong, child?"_ The snake asked.

"_I just realized… this is the best conversation I've ever had."_

"_You do not talk to your cousin?"_

"_He's a git so no."_

"_Your friends?"_

"_I…"_ Harry hesitated. _"I don't have very many friends. My cousin… he tells everyone that I am a freak. That's usually good enough reason for most ten year olds to avoid me like the plague."_

"_I see."_ The snake said in a disapproving voice. _"That is too bad, you are a charming young girl."_

Harry smiled, a light blush dusting her cheeks. _"I probably should go now."_ She said reluctantly. _"They're heading this way and frankly, I don't want to give them another reason to dub me as a freak."_

"_Of course. Goodbye Harry James Potter. It was a pleasure to meet you."_

Harry blinked in shock. _"How do you know my name?"_

"_You will find out soon."_

Harry blinked once more before easing back into a grin. _"Of course. It was good talking to you, err… Mr. Snake?"_

"_Likewise, chosen one."_

"_I suppose that's another thing I'll find out soon?"_ Harry asked quietly.

The snake nodded and curled up. With a farewell wink, it closed its eyes and fell asleep, leaving Harry there.

The rest of the day went uneventfully. Dudley kicked and screamed about how boring the snakes were and they quietly moved on to the next exhibit. Harry noticed Piers giving her odd looks now and then and wondered what that was all about. As they were about to leave the zoo, Harry stood in front of the snake exhibit once more, wondering if she should go in.

"Potter."

Piers' voice made Harry turn around in surprise.

"Polkiss." She greeted, nodding. "How can I help you?"

He said nothing. A minute passed.

Harry merely frowned and began to walk away, feeling extremely awkward.

"I saw you."

Harry paused. "You saw me what, Polkiss?" She asked, annoyed.

"You were talking." He said, staring at Harry with a curious expression. "To that snake. You were smiling and laughing and talking."

Harry froze in alarm. "You're f-f-funny, P-Polkiss." She stuttered out unconvincingly.

"You suck at lying." Polkiss said. "You were obviously talking to that snake. Why were you doing that? It's not like it could hear you or anything. But you were laughing at it—_like a freak. _No wonder you don't have any friends."

Something snapped inside Harry at that moment. She stormed up to Piers and grabbed him by the collar.

"Oh I don't know _Piers_." She said in a hateful tone. "It's not like I'll ever have any friends. No. They all think I'm a freak. Because of _you_ and _your friend_."

Piers trembled a little and opened his mouth to say something. But Harry didn't care. Her hand clenched into a fist and she firmly punched Piers right in the middle of his face.

She did not notice Dudley's screams and Vernon's accusations. She didn't listen to Petunia's cold voice and she didn't pay attention when she was shoved into the car. She didn't care that she had to go to bed without food for the next week. She could only feel fury.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** The Girl Who Lived

**Summary:** The killing curse leaves an odd after effect on Harry James Potter. Too bad no one ever told her about it. Fem!Harry/Draco, HPDM, DMHP.

**Pairings:** Ron/Hermione, fem!Harry/a **lot** of people, eventual Draco/fem!Harry, Neville/Ginny.

**Rating:** T. For now. Definitely moving up to M later on though. ;)

**Author's Note: **Quite a few changes in this chapter! Reviews would be really appreciated. A lot of people have added this story to their alerts or favorites but they haven't reviewed! The next chapter will be out after the fifteenth review. ;) Meanwhile, enjoy! If you see any errors, point 'em out!

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><p>"Seven days to go." Harry mumbled under her breath, crossing off another box on the calendar. She held the pencil in her hand a moment longer than necessary before dropping it to the ground. She lay back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Five minutes passed but she didn't move. Finally, with a resigned sigh, she got on her knees. Extending her arms out, she concentrated on the book that lay in front of her. She stared at it intently, the fingers flexing. Ever so slowly, the book began to rise. It floated a couple inches off the ground and then dropped with a thud, creating a cloud of dust around it.<p>

The black hair girl pursed her lips in annoyance before standing up and opening the cupboard door. The morning mail was on the floor so she picked it up and sifted through it.

'_Bill, bill, Marge, bill, bi—oh. Hang on, this is mine!'_

Harry's eyes widened at the label.

_Mr. H. Potter_

_The Cupboard under the Stairs_

_4 Privet Drive_

_Little Whinging_

_Surrey_

Harry was too surprised at the fact that _she_ had gotten a letter to pay any attention to the gender confusion. She had a letter! _'I probably shouldn't show this to the Dursleys.'_ She thought, feeling ambivalent. On one hand, she wanted to read this letter _really badly_ but the Dursleys would surely confiscate it if they saw her reading the letter. Looking as if she was making the toughest decision of her life, Harry slipped her letter underneath the cupboard door. She took the remaining post to the kitchen and dropped it next to Vernon's breakfast.

Vernon started reading the mail and grumbling at the bills. "Oh, Marge is ill!" He told Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk…"

But Harry wasn't listening. She was staring at her food (there was a suspicious dearth of bacon) and thinking about what waited for her.

'_I have a letter. I have a letter. I have a letter. I have a letter.'_ She chanted happily, chewing her food.

"What are you so happy about?" Dudley asked suspiciously.

"Nothing." She replied curtly. She shoved the rest of the food in her mouth and dropped the disposable plate into the trash. Without another word, Harry sprinted to her cupboard and locked herself in. Her hands shook in excitement as she released the letter from the envelope.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress._

Harry was rendered speechless. She could not believe what she was reading. Hogwarts was a school for witchcraft and wizardry… for magic.

And then, in a sudden flash, everything made sense. She could talk to snakes, she could levitate objects with her mind, she could grow her hair back overnight. It also explained Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's paranoia of leaving her in the house alone.

"_Leave you alone here?" They'd always say. "You'd blow up the whole house!"_

It never made sense to Harry but now… it did. Their hate for anomalies, their mistrust concerning Harry and the secretive glances they'd give each other whenever Harry talked back. It all fit together.

'_But why did they never tell me?' _Harry wondered. She gripped the letter in her hand and considered going to the kitchen and confronting them. But before she could make her decision, the doorbell rang loudly, breaking Harry away from her train of thought. Three pairs of footsteps followed and Harry could hear the door open. She pressed her ear against her cupboard entrance and listened carefully.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, what a pleasure to see you again!"

_Laughter._

"Dudders, you have such _charming_ friends!" That was Petunia.

"Dudders knows how to pick them right." Vernon chuckled.

"Hello Piers, Gordon, Malcolm, Dennis." Harry could feel the smug grin on Dudley's face.

"Well we better be heading off now!" _Wait, what?_ "Do take care will you? There's food in the kitchen."

Harry heard the door slam shut and there was a moment of silence. Harry bit back a groan when she heard Dudley and his friends talking in low tones. She hated being left alone with them in the house. It never felt _safe_ when they were here. Dudley and Piers were pretty bad but at the end of the day, they were cowards. His friends however… they genuinely scared Harry. They weren't good people _at all_.

"Is your freak of a cousin in here?" Someone asked.

"Yes." Dudley replied. "She's in that cupboard again."

"What a weirdo. Why does she stay in that cupboard?"

"Dunno," Dudley lied easily. "She threw a fit when mum and dad asked her to move to the second bedroom. She does everything in that cupboard: she eats there, she sleeps there and she even talks to herself."

"Say Piers," Someone said, possibly Gordon. "Didn't you say she was talking to a snake?"

"Oh yeah, it was freakish mate. She was hissing and laughing at the glass."

Everyone laughed. Harry just clenched her teeth, hands gripping the letter even tighter than before.

"HEY POTTER!" One of the boys yelled out. "COME OUT OR WE'LL TELL MRS. DURSLEY YOU PUNCHED POLKISS AGAIN."

Harry's expression darkened and she stepped out of her haven. "Hello Malcolm, Gordon, Dennis, _Piers_." She greeted coldly.

"Say," Piers began in an innocent voice. "Your birthday is in a week, isn't it? Maybe you should ask for a hairbrush." The boys sniggered. Harry remained quiet. Dudley looked uncomfortable.

"We should get going." Dudley said, glancing at his friends. "Mom made lots of food and it'll probably taste bloody disgusting if it gets cold. A murmur of agreement ran across the boys as they walked past Harry to the kitchen.

Malcolm walked extra slowly, staring at Harry with a blank look on his face. It was unnerving. "Say Potter," He drawled emotionlessly. "Maybe you should ask your Aunt for a bra and maybe some matching panties. You're gonna start filling out in a couple years and ya never know what might happen."

Harry's breath hitched in her throat. "Sod off."

Malcolm merely laughed and went into the kitchen.

Harry returned to her room and didn't leave until the Dursleys came back.

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><p>"Aunt Petunia. Uncle Vernon. Can I talk to you for a moment?" Harry asked the next morning, toying with the edge of her unfitting shirt, slightly nervous about this confrontation. What if she started prattling and couldn't stop? What if the Dursleys laughed it off and denied it? What if everything went wrong?<p>

Petunia looked up from her spot in the kitchen and glared at Harry. Vernon merely glanced at her from over his newspaper.

"What is it girl, hurry up." He grumbled.

"Err, well you see, I got this letter…" She noticed Petunia and Vernon tense up and shoot each other nervous glances. "Am I really a witch?" She blurted out quickly.

A cold silence hung over the room. No one said anything. Finally after what seemed like an hour, Vernon spoke up. "W-well o-of course n-n-not! Haven't I t-told you already? There i-is n-n s-such thing a-as m-m-magic."

Harry wrinkled her nose in obvious distaste. Yes, she'd expected the Dursleys to deny it but she hadn't expected them to lie this badly. Vernon's entire face was red and Petunia was fidgeting. It was a sore sight for the eyes.

"You're lying." Harry responded easily, staring into Vernon's eyes. "I know you are."

"R-rubbish! Why would we lie about something this ridiculous?" Petunia asked in a squeaking voice.

"I don't know Aunt Petunia, but I know you're hiding something from me."

"Why you insolent little—" Vernon began, smacking his fist on the table. Harry interrupted him at once though.

"I can levitate things. Make 'em move with my mind. I can talk to snakes. And sometimes… things happen. When I don't mean for them to. Like that one time, Aunt Petunia, where you shaved my head, except for a fringe to cover my nasty scar. Remember what happened? The whole thing grew back overnight. I couldn't explain it but now… it all makes sense." Harry looked into Petunia's wide eyes and held her gaze for a couple seconds before turning her gaze back to Vernon. "So with that, I'll ask again: Am I a witch?"

The silence was deafening.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"You are _not going_!" Vernon seethed in rage. "We swore when we took you in we'd put a stop to all this rubbish!"

"And I'm sure you can stop me!" Harry shot back audaciously. "I'm a witch! I can do things!"

"You wouldn't."

"Oh yeah?" Harry felt smug. "Try me."

Not another word was exchanged between the Dursleys and Harry for the rest of the day. The tension loomed over the house—everyone could sense it. Harry had folded the letter up and slipped it into a shelf in the cupboard. That night, before she went to bed, she touched the letter for a couple of minutes before switching off the light and falling into slumber.

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><p>The next few days passed in a rush. Harry's conversations with the Dursleys were short and usually one-worded. She was often excused from chores and Dudley had been picking on her a lot less too. It was almost as if they were frightened of her.<p>

Harry, however, had concerns far bigger than the Dursleys. It was a day before 31 July and she had no idea how to contact the sender of the letter! She'd spent the past couple of days walking around the neighborhood, looking for an owl. She'd gone to the library to look up messenger owls and numerous other things but they were all rather unsuccessful. '_Why on Earth would they use such an unconventional method to contact each other?'_ She wondered to herself. Harry felt hopeless. She really wanted to go to Hogwarts—anywhere to get out of here. She wanted to hone her talents.

Aunt Petunia's sharp raps against the door broke Harry out of her thoughts. "Get in the kitchen and look after the food." She said. "Don't let it burn."

Harry reluctantly obliged. She didn't exactly have anything else to do. She scrambled the eggs, fried the bacon and cooked the sausages. There was a gentle knock on the door as Harry set the plates meticulously.

"Dudley, answer the door." Vernon ordered.

"Make Harry do it." Dudley retorted.

Vernon hesitated.

"S'alright," Harry mumbled. "I'll do it."

She trudged up to the front door and opened it. There stood a man, tall, thin and red-headed. He had a bright smile on his face and he was dressed in a smart looking brow suit with a ridiculously bright green tie.

"Can I help you?" Harry asked cautiously, not opening the door fully yet.

"Ah, yes, yes you can. Is your mummy home?" He asked with genuine kindness.

"No." Harry replied.

The man frowned. "Your daddy?"

"No." She did her best to sound apathetic.

"Err," The man seemed nervous now. "This _is_ Number Four, Privet Drive, is it not?"

"It is." She replied indifferently.

"Is there someone named Harry Potter living in this house?"

Her eyes widened at that. This man knew her name! Who exactly was he?

"Does this have anything to do with Hogwarts?" She asked, playing it carefully. If he looked too confused, she could always spew something about Hogwarts being a castle in the Scottish highlands where ghosts and centaurs lurked. The man would most likely brush it off as a ten year old child's imagination. If this man truly was one of _them_, then she might be able to go to Hogwarts!

The man seemed surprised. "How do you know about Hogwarts?"

"I got a letter of course," She replied. "Isn't that how everyone finds out about Hogwarts?"

"Dear, what's your name?"

Harry paused for a second. On one hand, she had the common sense to know what sort of things she shouldn't tell strangers. However, this man seemed to know about Hogwarts. After a second of contemplation she replied, "I'm Harry Potter."

The red-headed man paled considerably. "But… Harry Potter is a boy!" He exclaimed, his calm demeanor momentarily forgotten.

"I know." Harry replied with a wry smile. "My Aunt and Uncle told me my parents were drunk when they named me."

The man looked deep in thought.

"Who are you?" Harry asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Oh how rude of me. My name is Arthur Weasley. Do you think you could let me in? I need to talk to your guardians for a bit."

"I'll have to ask my aunt about that Mr. Weasley. I'll be back in a second." She shut the door before Arthur could protest and ran back to the kitchen. "Aunt Petunia! There's a man from Hogwarts here to see us. He says he needs to talk to you. Says it's urgent." She added the last bit for some effect.

The reaction was immediate. Vernon's face went purple and he said in a strangles whisper: "One of _your _kind is here?"

"Oh yes, and he says he won't leave until you talk to him." Harry lied.

Aunt Petunia whimpered a little. "Fine. Let him in. But tell him he has to hurry."

"Will do!" Harry exclaimed, her voice rising a couple of octaves. She ran to the front door again and put on a mask of innocence. She opened the door completely and stepped aside. "You can come in now."

"Thank you… Harry." He seemed hesitant.

She directed him to the kitchen. Vernon and Petunia both looked terrified out of their minds. They were acting like this man was going to explode into doves there and then. Harry was about to sit down on an empty chair when she caught Mr. Weasley's eye.

"Harry, dear, would you mind giving me a moment alone with your Aunt and Uncle? We have to discuss something. Please?" He added upon seeing Harry's disapproving face.

"I suppose." She said unenthusiastically. She slid off her chair and exited through the door. The moment she shut the door, it made an odd clicking sound, as if it had been locked. She pressed her ear against the door and listened intently. There was an odd buzzing sound. Harry couldn't hear a single word of their conversation. She sat glumly in front of her cupboard and stared at the clock. Seconds and minutes passed. They'd been talking for almost forty-five minutes now and Harry was starting to get worried. What if there was a mix-up? What if Harry wasn't actually supposed to go to Hogwarts? Or worse! What if Hogwarts was an all-boy school? And her letter had merely been a mistake? Harry hugged her knees tightly and concentrated on the clock in front of her.

Slowly, she raised her hand and pointed her fingers at the clock. Flexing her fingers, she glared at the clock. _Move_. Nothing happened. _MOVE._ The clock stirred in its place but did nothing further. On a good day, Harry could levitate a book for about three minutes. This performance was absolutely pathetic.

_One hour_.

It took them a whole hour to finish their talk. Arthur Weasley exited the room with a grim look on his face. His face broke into a forced smile the moment he saw Harry but she saw right through it.

"All right there Harry?" He asked in a strained voice.

"Yeah." She whispered in response.

"You ready to go?"

Harry looked up in shock. "_Now? _Like right now?"

"Well the sooner the better, isn't it? I suppose you need some time to pack—"

"Not really!" Harry replied urgently. "I mean, I don't have that many possessions. Oh hang on, there is something though! I'll take five minutes, I swear!"

Harry leapt into her cupboard and grabbed her school backpack. She emptied all the paper and pencil shavings out of them and hurriedly stuffed in two things: a change of clothing and her book about snakes. She swung the backpack around her shoulders and went back out. "I'm ready!" She declared, slightly breathless.

"That was quick!" Mr. Weasley said with a chuckle.

"Yeah! So where are we going?"

Mr. Weasley glanced at clock. "How about we go school shopping first? You probably want to get all your things. Maybe buy some things for yourself too?"

"Oh Mr. Weasley, that sounds fantastic… but I haven't got any money! Not a single penny!"

Mr. Weasley chuckled. "You didn't think your parents left you with nothing now did they?"

"MY PARENTS?" Harry exclaimed shocked. She gulped loudly, trying to calm herself. "My parents… were they like me? Er, magical, I mean."

Arthur nodded. "How about we leave now?" He suggested. "We can talk on our way there. You're probably starving—we could stop at the Leaky Cauldron for some lunch. Oh yes, that does sound good." He prattled on.

"Err, Mr. Weasley?"

"I haven't had their lamb stew in a while and I hear—oh! My apologies, I went off track for a bit. Do you have everything packed? Alright then, take a hold of my hand. And hold on tight. I repeat, _do not let go_."

Harry nodded and clutched his arm. There was a second of silence and then Harry's world started spinning. She felt a sharp tug in her belly and a sickening sensation consumed her. She shut her eyes and groaned.

"Harry!" She heard Mr. Weasley's panicked voice. "Harry, it's okay, you can open your eyes. We're here."

Harry opened her eyes and gasped loudly. This was definitely not Privet Drive, let alone Surrey! The streets were bustling with people adorned in robes and—Harry did a double take. People were wearing witch hats—even the men! Some had canes and some didn't. Some wore cloaks embedded with jewels and others wore plain ones.

"Welcome," Mr. Weasley began, a hint of pride in his voice. "To Diagon Alley."

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><p>Remember, 15 reviews! :)<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** The Girl Who Lived

**Summary:** The killing curse leaves an odd after effect on Harry James Potter. Too bad no one ever told her about it.

**Pairings:** Ron/Hermione, fem!Harry/a **lot** of people, eventual Draco/fem!Harry, other minor slash and femslash pairings.

**Rating:** T. For now. Definitely moving up to M later on though. ;)

**Author's Note: **If you noticed, Neville/Ginny is no longer one of the pairings for this fic. Instead, I'm going to make it Ginny/Luna which is my femslash OTP of the series. Hopefully that doesn't annoy anybody! It's an extremely minor part of the story so if you dislike it, it'll be really easy to ignore!

And in case anyone is wondering, yes, Harry is going to be doing her school shopping one day earlier. This means she is not going to meet Draco Malfoy at Madam Malkin's!

On another note, I'm reconsidering the Slytherin!Harry a bit. There's a 98% chance it'll stay but then again, you never know.

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><p>"Come on now, we should get a move on." Mr. Weasley said happily, breaking Harry away from her reverie. "Grab my hand. Don't want you to get lost in this crowd, do we?"<p>

Harry obliged happily but her eyes did not leave her surroundings. The shops were especially fascinating. There were robe shops, cauldron shops, pet shops, joke shops and Harry could swear that she even saw a broom shop but by the time she thought about looking back, they'd walked past it.

"Alright Harry," Mr. Weasley said, coming to a stop. It was then that Harry noticed that they stood in front of a door. "This is Leaky Cauldron. What do you say we pick up some food here? I suppose you have a lot of questions."

Harry's stomach growled upon the mention of food. She blushed lightly and nodded. "That would be nice."

They entered the dingy looking building. The inside wasn't half as exciting as Harry expected it to be. She expected it to be more magical. But with what was in front of her, the Leaky Cauldron merely seemed like an unimpressive diner.

"Don't be fooled Harry," Mr. Weasley said, noticing the skeptical look on her face. "The food is to die for. Now, what would you like to have?" He asked as they sat down on the nearest table.

"Er, isn't there a menu?" Harry asked.

"A menu? No of course not, you just ask for what you want of course. Oh, but do they do it differently in the muggle word?" Mr. Weasley asked in a fascinated tone.

"Oh, uh, yeah. You get a menu and someone takes your order. Then they bring you your food and you, er, eat." Harry asked, wondering why on earth Mr. Weasley looked so enthralled.

"Muggles! Ingenious! Such clever folk!" Mr. Weasley seemed dazed.

"Mr. Weasley?"

"Yes? Oh, yes, I'm terribly sorry. I'm fascinated by muggles you see." Mr. Weasley explained. "It's amazing how they manage to survive so well without magic! I certainly wouldn't be able to."

Harry smiled, knowing full well how Mr. Weasley felt. She was still slightly amazed about the wizarding world. It was hard to believe there was such a clandestine society thriving alongside her world. _'Though,'_ she thought snidely to herself. _'I suppose I'm part of this surreptitious life now.'_

"I think I know how you feel, Mr. Weasley." Harry said with a contemplating look on her face. "I'm quite fascinated by all of this. The wizarding world, I mean."

A kind look seeped into the elder man's eyes. "Of course you are. I assume you have a lot of questions too? Goodness I've been dilly dallying enough. Say, how about I show you how to order food and after that, you can ask me anything you want?"

"All right," Harry agreed, watching him with a curious gaze.

Mr., Weasley thought for a second and then said, in a loud, clear voice, "Lamb stew." There was silence for a whole minute and Harry began to doubt the credibility of Mr. Weasley's method. But as soon as she was about to open her mouth and say something, a steaming hot plate of food appeared in front of Mr. Weasley. Her mouth dropped open as the delicious aroma of the dish wafted towards her.

"How…?" She asked dumbfounded.

"Magic." Was Mr. Weasley's simple reply. "Now go on, what do you feel like having?"

"Oh! I… I don't know. I suppose I'll just have what you're having." She hesitated for a second. "Lamb stew." She said in a firm voice. Within a minute, a plate had appeared in front of Harry. Mr. Weasley let out a small chuckle at the amazed look on her face.

"Well, eat up! You don't want it to get cold."

They began to eat in silence. Harry had never tasted anything so delicious. The rich, hot stew was nothing compared to the cold scraps the Dursleys gave her. When they were both halfway through their meal, Harry decided to speak up.

"So, um, tell me about Hogwarts?" She suggested.

"Aha, of course." Mr. Weasley grinned. "Hogwarts is… indescribable. It's said to be the best school for magical folks. The Headmaster is Professor Albus Dumbledore—arguably one of the best wizards of all time. The students are divided into four houses—Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Gryffindor." He said the last one with a little pride. "I was a Gryffindor, all my kids are Gryffindors. Well, almost all of them, Ron and Ginny have yet to be sort—"

"You have children?" Harry blurted out. "I mean—I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt!"

"Oh it's fine." He shook his head in dismissal. "Yes, I have children, seven of them actually. There's Bill, my oldest. He's already graduated from Hogwarts though. He works at Gringotts as a curse breaker. Then there's Charlie. He too, graduated Hogwarts. He works with dragons in Romania." He chuckled at the wondrous expression on Harry's face. "Then there's Percy. He's going to be in his fifth year at Hogwarts and he's a prefect. If you ever get lost, you can ask him and he'll help you out. Fred and George are twins in their third year. They're notoriously well-known for being the best pranksters of their generation." He chuckled fondly. "Ron is my youngest son and he's starting Hogwarts this year too. I'll be sure to introduce the two of you before the term begins. And finally, Ginny, our youngest child and our only daughter. She's a tough one—she has to be, living in a house with six older brothers."

"Wow." Harry breathed. "They sound wonderful." She said in earnest.

"Oh they are." Mr. Weasley agreed, brimming with fatherly affection. Harry felt a little twinge of sadness—she'd never known what it felt like to have a real family. She wanted to know more.

"And, er," She hesitated. "Do you have a wife?" She squeaked out. Immediately her hands flew open to her mouth. '_Oh god what if I was insensitive? What if she's passed away or what if they ended things badly or what if—_'

"Harry, it's all right, relax." Mr. Weasley said. "I did say you could ask me anything. And as a matter of fact, I'm so happy you asked."

Harry nearly laughed at Mr. Weasley's dreamy expression.

"My wife is Molly Weasley. We got married right out of Hogwarts. She's the most wonderful person anyone could ask for."

"You love her very much." Harry observed.

"I do."

Harry smiled and picked at her food. "What's Gringotts?" She asked suddenly.

"Gringotts is the wizarding bank. It's also going to be our next stop."

"Wizards have banks?" Harry asked, genuinely surprised.

"Well of course! Where else do you think we keep all our money? In the back of our closets?" They both laughed and began eating once more. But something else was bugging Harry now.

"Mr. Weasley," She began, uneasily, setting down her spoon.

Sensing her hesitation, Mr. Weasley mirrored her actions. "Harry," He said gently. "You can ask me _anything_."

"All my life," Harry began softly. "My aunt and uncle told me that my parents were drunken bums who died in a car crash. Were they… right?" She fidgeted nervously and looked into Mr. Weasley's eyes with a mask of apathy. It faltered at once when she saw the angry—no, _hostile_—look in Mr. Weasley's eyes.

"Harry, if there's one think you must know, that is the fact that your parents were amazing people." He said passionately. "To say that I was enraged when I found out what the Dursleys told you would be a gross understatement."

"Did you… know them?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Yes. We weren't close friends but I'd worked with your parents several times and Harry, they were wonderful people."

"How did they die?"

Mr. Weasley sighed. "You see Harry… I don't know if I'm the right person to tell you this. Bloody hell," He murmured to himself. "I didn't know it was going to be this bad."

"What?" Harry asked, her curiosity inching.

"I suppose I do have to tell you. It feels wrong that you don't know this."

Harry could almost feel her heart bursting with excitement.

"Harry, _you're famous._" He said bluntly.

"I'm what?"

"You're famous Harry. There isn't a single person living in the wizarding world who doesn't know who you are. Everywhere from Mongolia to Canada—_everyone knows who you are_."

Harry reeled in shock. "That's not possible, Mr. Weasley." She said innocently. "I've never done anything special."

"But that's the thing Harry," Mr. Weasley sounded strained now. "I suppose I should start from the beginning." He took a deep breath. "About twenty years old, there was a wizard. His name was…" He looked as he was in pain. "Voldemort."

Harry couldn't help but snort at the ridiculous name.

"Do not laugh at his name Harry. It is a name feared throughout the entire wizarding world. His name is synonymous with death and destruction. For most of us… even saying his name is difficult. Most refer to him as You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. It is unwise to say his name in public."

Harry gulped visibly but said nothing.

"You-Know-Who started off the same way as both you and me. He was a student at Hogwarts, one of the brightest in his time actually. But he wasn't ordinary. He was strong and he had power. He went bad Harry, he went as bad as they could get. He gathered followers for his goal to cleanse the world of filth. In short, muggles—non magic folk." He added the last part, seeing Harry's confused look.

"So you mean he wanted to kill anybody who wasn't magical?" Harry asked, horrorstruck.

"Not just that, Harry. He wanted to kill anybody who wasn't a pureblood. Ah, but of course, you wouldn't know what that means. _Pure_blood," He said the term with obvious distaste. "Refers to someone with one hundred percent magical blood. You could trace their families for generations and you wouldn't find a single muggle. I am a pureblood. Your father was a pureblood. Your mother however, was a muggleborn. She had a muggle family but she herself was magical."

"So that would make me…?"

"A half-blood. But Harry, you must remember, this blood purity is a bundle of nonsense."

Harry nodded. "Go on." She said in a whisper.

"Of course. Now, Voldemort was a powerful wizard. Arguably the most powerful wizard in the world second only to one Albus Dumbledore. Naturally, everyone feared him. He wasn't the most subtle about his agenda you see. Countless people died in his hands. _Thousands_."

"Thousands." Harry repeated.

Arthur nodded grimly. "Your parents were strongly against You-Know-Who and most importantly, they were very close to Dumbledore. You must understand something Harry. Once You-Know-Who decided to kill someone, they never survived. There was no escape."

Harry's breath hitched. "He killed them, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"But… why am I famous?"

"Because Harry, You-Know-Who killed thousands of people. He destroyed hundreds of families. He murdered some of the most powerful witches and wizards in cold blood. But he couldn't kill _you_."

Harry froze. "What do you mean?"

"Have you ever wondered where you got your scar?" He nodded grimly as Harry instinctively touched her lightning scar. "That scar will never heal, Harry. It's the result of a curse, a very evil curse. _The killing curse_. No one ever survives the killing curse. It's a quick, painless death. It leaves no sign or anything. But it was different with you. When You-Know-Who cast the spell, it bounced back. The spell bounced back and it hit him instead." Harry's eyes widened even further in realization. "Harry, you, as a one year old baby, managed to single handedly defeat the darkest wizard of all time and all you escaped with was a scar."

Harry froze. "I… so… my parents… they died protecting me?" She let out a strangled sob at Mr. Weasley's nod. "Oh god, I can't… I… I don't know what to feel, Mr. Weasley." She noticed other people staring at her. "Oh no, I probably shouldn't make a scene in front of so many people."

"That all right Harry," Mr. Weasley said kindly. "I've placed a silencing charm around our table. No one can hear us."

Harry looked relieved. "I just… it's hard to believe almost. All my life, the Dursleys told me that my parents were unemployed, lazy, drunk and possibly every other negative thing… and I think _I believed them_. How could they keep something this huge away from me? They knew I was magical so they probably knew about this too. And Aunt Petunia too. My mother was her _sister_ and she said all those horrible things." Harry choked up. "I need water." She gasped out. Instantly, a glass of cool water had appeared in front of her. She chuckled weakly and gulped it down in ten seconds flat. It refilled instantly.

"I… wow." Harry said weakly. "All of this is real. I guess I'm not as freakish as I thought I was. But then again…" She trailed off with a sardonic smile.

"Harry, I know it's a lot to take in—"

"I'm fine Mr. Weasley. You don't have to worry about me. In fact, I'm a little relieved now that I know more about my parents. I guess you could say a small part never believed my fam—" She pursed her lips. "I guess you could say a small part of me never believed the Dursleys." She corrected herself. "It's nice getting some confirmation." She paused. "Thank you."

They relapsed into an amiable silence and finished up their meals.

"Er, Harry, there's one more thing you need to know. It's a bit of an odd one and rather embarrassing too but… well, it would be more embarrassing if you didn't know about it."

Mr. Weasley looked uncomfortable. "For the first couple years of your life… everyonethoughtyouwereaboy."

"What?" Harry asked blankly.

"The Ministry of Magic made a huge mistake Harry. They, uh, registered you as a male." Mr. Weasley looked immensely uneasy right now. "When you were about six, news got out that the boy who lived was actually the _girl_ who lived. The reporters were jumping on this case. It died out about two years ago though. But when the story ran, most people brushed it off as gossip-y nonsense. When you go to Hogwarts, chances are, it'll start back up again. Dumbledore has been informed of this and with his level of power and influence, he'll certainly be able to stop your face from getting on the front page of the Daily Prophet. Meanwhile, you might not want to go around telling your last name to everyone. I'm sure it'll be unavoidable eventually but for now, you'd do best to stay away from… I believe muggles call it paparazzi?"

Harry couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles. She took one look at the confused look on Mr. Weasley's face and started laughing even harder. "For the past eleven years, I thought I was just a regular kid with no friends," She gasped out. "And now I have to watch for the _paparazzi_? I feel like I'm in some reality television show!"

Mr. Weasley merely smiled. "We better move on now. I suppose you brought your letter with you? And your shopping list?" Harry nodded. "Good. Our first stop will be at Gringotts. We have to wait a little more though. I sent a message to Dumbledore for the key to your vault. I should receive a reply any time now."

Instantly, an owl flew over to their table and dropped a parcel onto the table. Harry stared in curiosity as Arthur pocketed the small box. "That's would be the key to your vault!"

"I have my own vault?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"Oh of course." Mr. Weasley said, taking Harry's hand. "Don't forget to hold on! Don't want you to get lost."

So Harry clung to his arm. They made their way through the crowd with fair ease. Mr. Weasley would mutter a quick greeting from time to time but he kept them to a bare minimum. It took them ten minutes to walk to Gringotts and when Harry saw the tall, white building towering over all the shops, she automatically knew it was Gringotts. Her breath hitched as they entered the room.

'_Goblins.'_

"Mr. Weasley, these are—"

"They're goblins Harry. Don't stare too much, they're a little touchy. But then again, they have a right to be." He noticed Harry's befuddled look. "I'll explain later."

She did her best not to stare at her surroundings but it was a little difficult. Mr. Weasley did most of the talking. A goblin called Griphook took them down to her vault. By the time they got off, Harry was feeling a tad bit nauseous. Mr. Weasley, on the other hand, looked positively green.

Harry's mind went blank when the door opened. Harry gasped in shock and her mouth opened and closed like a fish in water. In front of her was the largest amount of riches she had ever seen. There were gold, silver and bronze pieces lying in neat stacks and… oh god there was just so much!

"Mr. Weasley." Harry began. "Exactly how much is this?"

"Well, Harry, I'd say you are about twice as rich as the Queen."

Harry felt faint. "And this is all mine?"

"All yours."

The bank had provided Harry with a small bag that could hold an unlimited amount of coins and still weigh as light as a feather. Listening to Mr. Weasley's advice, she had taken two hundred galleons. "School shopping is pricey!" He'd told Harry. She'd also sneaked an extra handful of coins when Mr. Weasley wasn't looking. She planned on buying him a present as a thank-you of sorts.

The next place they went to had been Ollivander's wand shop. Mr. Weasley had insisted on waiting outside. Mr. Ollivander and started speaking the moment she entered the room and began bringing out wands ten seconds after measuring her 'wand' arm. After eleven failed attempts, they had finally found a wand that worked. The shop owner had also mumbled something but it had fallen deaf upon Harry's ears.

'_I have a wand. I have a wand. I have a wand. I have a wand. I have a wand.'_ She mentally chanted to herself throughout the entire day. Their next shop was Madam Malkin's where Harry bought the robes she had needed. After that, they had stopped by in Flourish and Blotts where Harry bought all the books she needed. On top of that, she had decided to buy some extra books as well. One about Hogwarts and the other designed for muggleborns entering the wizarding world. She decided that she wanted to know everything about this magical land she was now part of.

Their next stop was a pet store.

"I really want a snake…" Harry had said forlornly. "Do you reckon the school checks your pets?"

Mr. Weasley had shot her a quizzical look before leaning down and whispering. "You know, my son Percy had a rat for four years and no one noticed. I'm sure if you're careful…" He trailed off.

Harry was positively gleeful. She went into the snake section immediately and began browsing. Mr. Weasley followed her.

She spotted a snake and immediately walked over to it. It had black scales with green eyes.

"_Hello, little one."_ She had whispered.

The snake stirred immediately and made eye contact with her. Harry smiled gently. _"You speak the noble tongue of Salazar?"_ It asked.

"_I do."_ Harry responded. _"Tell me, do you like it here?"_

"_No."_ The snake hissed. _"It is terrible."_

"_Then would you like to come with me perhaps? My home isn't special but I promise I'll take good care of you."_

The snake stared at Harry for a few seconds before slowly moving its head in an up-and-down motion.

"_Perfect! I'll be back as soon as I can! All right?"_

"_I'll be waiting."_

She turned around to face Mr. Weasley, excitement clearly written on her face but she faltered. There was a look of sheer horror and shock on the elder man's face.

"Harry," He croaked out. "You can talk to snakes?"

"Well… yes." Harry said as if it was obvious. "Is it not common?"

"Harry… I wouldn't get a snake if I were you. It's… talking to snakes is generally frowned upon in the wizarding world. It's really for your own go—"

"Oh but Mr. Weasley, I have to buy the snake. I promised him. Plus, I'll keep my so called ability well hidden. I mean, I'm not exactly new to hiding things." She said with a sardonic smirk.

Arthur nodded. Harry bought the snake at once (she named him Apollo) and upon second consideration, bought a small tawny owl (whom she named Circe).

"All ready?" Mr. Weasley had asked Harry with a strained smile.

"Yes!" Harry had exclaimed, still amazing at how all her shopping items fit into this teensy tiny little bag that was no bigger than her palm.

"Then I suppose we should get going now. Come on, hold on to my hand."

"Are we teleporting again?" Harry groaned.

"Er, I'm assuming you mean apparition to which I say, yes, yes we are." Arthur laughed at the look on Harry's face. "I know it's unpleasant but it's the easiest way to get somewhere quick. I swear."

So Harry grabbed onto Mr. Weasley and hoped that the experience would be less painful the second time around. It certainly wasn't. Mr. Weasley walked Harry up to the Dursleys doorstep.

"Thank you so much for what you did today Mr. We—OH!" She exclaimed in surprise. "Oh no no no no no!" She moaned, clutching her face.

"Harry? What's wrong?" Mr. Weasley asked, looking considerably alarmed.

"I was going to buy you something! Oh Mr. Weasley, you've been so kind to me today and I was going to get you something, as a token of my appreciation, but I forgot!" She was on the verge of tears.

"Harry, calm down. You don't need to get me anything! Frankly, I should be honored to have met someone as polite and charming as yourself." He said with a grin.

"Oh of course, Mr. Weasley, how silly of me." She said in a droll voice. "I mean it's not like you changed my entire life in a heartbeat or anything."

Mr. Weasley cracked a smile.

Their good-bye wasn't difficult; Harry knew she would see Mr. Weasley again. She liked Mr. Weasley. He was warm and kind and… he was everything Harry had wanted her father to be like.

She knocked on the Dursleys door twice and waited to be let in. Petunia answered the door with a shocked look on her face. Harry merely stormed past her and locked herself inside the cupboard. She changed into a more comfortable set of clothing before tucking herself into bed. 'One more month.' Was her final thought before she fell into her dreams about magical lands, dragons, goblins and friendly redheads.

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><p>All right guys, aiming for 30 reviews now. :)<p> 


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